Sectional shoe rack



Jan. 5, 1937; L.' COHEN ISECTIONAL SHOE-RACK Filed Aug. 15,- 1935 [/2 Vezz/or Leon Cofiezz W Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SECTIONAL snon RACK Leon Cohen, Downey, Calif. Application August 13, 1935, Serial No. 35,950 4 Claims. (ol. 211-35) My invention relates to a shoe rack of a type having a number of individual units, each unit of which may accommodate one or more pairs of shoes, the units being connectible together to form a vertical panel of such units. The various sections or units are intended to be separately sold so that a purchaser may increase the number of units to add to the size of the panel in accordance with the number of pairs of shoes to be mounted on the rack. My device is preferably intended for home use for supporting shoes on a wall, door, or the like of a closet.

An object and feature of my invention as it relates to an individual unit of the rack is forming the main frame structure of a single, stiff wire or rod, this being bent intoan inverted U-shape having a transverse upper member and vertical sides depending therefrom. These sides have an upper and a lower hinged bracket connected thereto, each bracket being formed of a wire or rod bent U-shaped and having a transverse and two end members, the end members being pivoted to the vertical rods. These brackets are adapted to fold or hinge into the plane of the main frame when the device is not in use and may be tilted outwardly to occupy a horizontal position, being held in such position by shoulders engaging the side members of each bracket. The brackets are spaced at different distances from the main frame, the crossbar of the upper bracket being closer to the frame than the lower bracket in order to suspend shoes with the heel hooked over the transverse member of the upper bracket and the sole of the shoe resting on the transverse or cross member of the lower bracket.

A further feature of my invention as it relates to assembling the units is forming a hook on the lower end of each bar on the main frame and on the upper end of each bar at the transverse rail providing a spaced plate. A lower unit is then suspended from the upper unit by hooking the rail of the lower unit on thehooks of the upper unit, the spaced plate engaging the back of the side bars of the upper unit and thus when shoes are placed on the different units the shoe rack as a whole is prevented from tilting outwardly from the wall.

My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembly of the rack units with the bracket elements in their position for use.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation illustrating the position of. the bracket when folded upwardly in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2 taken in the direction of'the arrow 3, illustrating the manner of supporting the shoes.

Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 to illustrate the construction of the stop shoulder for the arms of the brackets.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, detailed section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a vertical, detailed section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

In my construction I construct a rack frame H which has an upper rail I2 extending transversely and two side bars 13. Each of these bars has a hook M at its lower end, the hook being bent outwardly. At the upper end of each vertical bar there is an offset plate Hi, this plate having a lower portion l6 secured to the back of each of the vertical bars. Above the place of attachment there is a sloping offset section I1 and a vertical wall-engaging section i8 which extends above the rail [2. An eye I9 is provided in the upper end of each plate and may be used for suspending a rack by means of a cord or wire 20 engaging over a pin or hook 21 in a wall.

Pivotally connected to the vertical bars l3 there are upper and lower brackets 25 and 26, these each being formed in a similar manner and having a transverse supporting or rest bar 21 for a shoe and end arms 28 connected to the bars 13 by pivots 29. The arms of the lower bracket are longer than those of the upper bracket in order to support the shoe as shown in Fig. 3.

A feature of my invention as it relates'to the connection of each bracket to the main frame H consists in forming the frame members 13 with pressed offsets indicated at 30. These offsets have an upper shoulder 3| on the outside of each bar 13 and. a lower shoulder 32 on the inside providing a flattened surface 33 above the shoulder 32. The inner end of each arm 28 is preferably formed with parallel edges indicated at 34 spaced from the pivot 29. The arms are also inclined slightly inwardly so that the member 21 is slightly less in length than the measurement between the side bars l3 so that each bracket may be folded into the plane formed by the rail and the bars 13 of the frame I I, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the brackets are tilted outwardly, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the lower side of each arm 28 rests on the shoulder 32 and thus holds the bracket in a horizontal position. When both of the brackets of the rack .unit are in this horizontal position, shoes may be supported in the rack by engaging the heel over the element 21 of the upper bracket and having the sole rest on the similar element of the lower bracket 26.

In suspending one unit from another to form a panel of rack units the rail l2 of a lower unit is caught in the hooks M of the bars l3 of the upper unit, these bars being sprung inwardly slightly to fit in the corners formed by the rail l2 and the bars IS. The lower portion of each bar l3 engages at its back the portion l8 of the spaced plate I 5 secured to the bars l3 of the lower unit. On account of this plate bearing against the surface of a wall or the like when shoes are placed on a lower rack the upper rack is prevented from tilting outwardly from the wall. This construction, in effect, gives a vertical interlock between a lower and an upper bracket. The construction also brings the vertical bars i3 of each rack unit in substantial alignment so that all of the racks may be formed of similar units, thus simplifying the manufacture and assembly of the devices to form a rack for shoes.

As a finish for the metal rods or wires I preferably apply a coating of flock. This is made of cotton linters or the like dyed to a desirable color adhering to the wire by a previous coating of sizing. This flock gives a soft finish to the wires and does not mar shoes which are supported by the rack and also gives a pleasing appearance.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe rack having a plurality of rack units, each unit having a horizontal rail and vertical side bars all in the same plane, the side bars having an outwardly bent hook at the bottom, each side bar also having an inwardiy spaced plate at the top, such plate ext-ending above the rail of the unit, each of the side bars having brackets secured thereto for mounting shoes, a lower unit being connected to an upper unit by its rail being engaged by the hooks of the upper unit, and the spacing plate of the lower unit extending up wardly at the back of the side bars of the upper unit above the hooks.

2. A shoe rack as claimed in claim 1, each of the brackets having a transverse member with side arms, the side arms being pivotally connected to the side bars of the frame, and each bracket being foldable into the plane of its frame, the side bars having shoulders forming horizontal stops to engage the side arms and retain the brackets in an extended position with the arms and transverse members occupying a horizontal position.

3, In a shoe rack, a rack unit having a frame with vertical side bars formed of a rod circular in cross section, such rod having a flattened section with a horizontal shoulder in the inside, a bracket having a horizontal member and two side arms, each side arm being pivoted to the flattened section of a side bar, the shoulder being adapted to retain the arm in a horizontal position, the transverse member and side arms of a bracket being foldable into the plane of the side bars of the frame.

4. A shoe rack having a rack unit with a frame having vertical side bars, each terminating in a hook at the bottom, a plurality of brackets each having a transverse member and side arms, the arms being pivoted to the side bars of the frame and adapted to fold into the plane of the frame or to be extended to a horizontal position, an interacting means between the arms of the brackets and the side bars of the frame to hold the brackets in a horizontal position, a second rack unit having a horizontal rail and vertical side arms with brackets pivoted to the side arms, the second or lower unit having spacing plates secured to the side bars adjacent the rail, said rail of the second unit being adapted to engage the hooks of the first unit and the spacing plate to extend upwardly behind the lower ends of the side bars of the first unit.

LEON COHEN. 

